Collapsible holders for mops



March 26, 1963 J. 'r. SHORT COLLAPSIBLE HOLDERS FOR MOPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 INVENTOR Jae ZZ Shari ATTORNEY6' March 26, 1963 J. r. SHORT COLLAPSIBLE HOLDERS FOR MOPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 INVENTOR Joe T. Short 73M, d9m;6%z ATTORNEYS March 26., 1963 J. T. SHORT 3,082,456

COLLAPSIBLE HOLDERS FOR MOPS Filed Jan. 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Joe/11811011? 3,032,456 CGLLAPSIBLE HOLDERS FGR MOPS Eoe T. Short, West Point, Gan, assignor to Call-away Mills Company, La Grange, Ga, a corporation of Georgia Filed Jan. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 81,424 (Ilainas. (ill. -447) The present invention relates to collapsible holders for mops of the type in which the mop fabric has opposed pockets on its upper surface. =Fabric mops of this type have been used heretofore and the present invention is concerned with improvements in the construction of the holders for such mops.

A mop holder of the type with which the invention is concerned is provided with a handle and a collapsible openwork base connected to the lower end of the handle by means that will permit swiveling movements of the mop handle relative to the base during use of the mop. The base includes a latching mechanism, and when the parts are latched in their extended, fabric-holding positions, the lower surfaces of the base lie substantially in a plane for effective engagement of the mop fabric with a floor. As a result of the openwork construction of the base, any solid objects which may become lodged under the mop fabric during use will not tend to elevate the mop holder from the floor.

When the mop fabric is soiled, the latching mechanism may be released to permit the base of the holder to collapse. The mop fabric then will drop therefrom without the necessity of the user touching the soiled fabric. A clean mop fabric may be brought into position on the holder by inserting the ends of the collapsed base partially into the pockets on the fabric, and then extending the parts of the base into their horizontal latched positions.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a mop holder which will be so sturdy and troublefree in operation as to be practical for use under the harsh conditions normally encountered in industrial establishments, office buildings, institutions and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mop holder with a collapsible base made of a minimum number of parts that can be manufactured and assembled at low cost and with suificient precision to assure efiicient operation over a long period of time.

Other objects and advantages of the invention can be understood by reference to the following description having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a mop holder embodying the invention and illustrating in broken lines a pocketed mop fabric attached thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a side of the central portion of the mop holder of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational vie-w of the center of the mop holder of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the mop shown in FIGURE illustrating in broken lines the latched positions of the parts for holding the mop fabric and illustrating in full lines the positions of the parts while the mop fabric is being dropped therefrom;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the mop holder; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 7--7 of FIGURE 6.

The mop fabric may be conventional and is designated generally in FIGURES l and 5 by the reference numeral 6. The mop fabric 6 comprises a piece of cloth 7 to the bottom of which are stitched fringe yarns 8. The cloth 7 has oppositely facing pockets 9 and 10 on its ice upper surface arranged to receive laterally projecting wings on the holder hereinafter described.

The base of the mop holder of FIGURES 1 through 5 includes a rigid frame unit made up of a cross bar 11 having a first laterally projecting wing 12 fixed rigidly to its ends. As shown, the cross 'bar 11 is a cylindrical rod, but other forms may be employed if desired.

The wing 12 is of openwork construction, being generally U-shaped in configuration with its closed end 13 rounded slightly as shown to facilitate insertion thereof into a pocket 9 on the mop fabric 6. The legs 14 and 15 are straight throughout most of their lengths, but they are offset upwardly at 16 and 17, respectively, to dispose the portions thereof near the inner end of the wing -12 in a plane above and parallel to the general plane of the wing 12.

The end faces of the cross bar 11 are welded to the sides of the legs 14 and 15 at points 18 and 19 located intermediate the ends of the upwardly offset portions thereof. This disposes parts of the upwardly oifset portions of the legs 14 and 15 on opposite sides of axis of the cross bar 11. The parts 20 and 21 are on the side facing the closed end of the wing 12, while the inner end portions 22 and 23 are on the side facing the open end of the wing 12. The extreme inner ends of the legs 14 and 15 are turned inwardly back upon themselves, as indicated at 2.4 and 25, without displacing them from the plane of the upwardly offset portions of the legs.

The base of the mop holder of FIGURES 1 through 5 also includes a second Wing designated generally by the reference numeral 26. This wing 26 is of openwork construction and is of generally U-shaped configuration. Its closed end '27 is curved as shown to facilitate insertion thereof into the other pocket 16 on the mop fabric 6.

The inner ends of legs 23 and 2% of the second wing 26 are inclined inwardly at 30 and 31, looped upwardly and inwardly at 32 and 33 about the cross bar 11, inclined outwardly again at 34 and 35, and then directed laterally inwardly to terminate in upstanding release pins 36 and 37. Except for the loop portions 32 and 33 and the re lease pins '36 and 37, the parts of the second wing 26 lie in a single plane which, in the latched condition of the mop holder shown in broken lines in FIGURE 5, is substantially coincident with the general plane of the first wing 12.

As shown best in FIGURE 2, the inwardly inclined portion 30 and the outwardly inclined portion 34 of the leg 28 extend beneath the raised portions 24 and 20 of the adjacent leg 14 of the first wing 12 in the latched condition of the holder. A similar relationship exists as between the corresponding parts of the opposite wing legs 15 and 29 on the other side of the holder base. As a result, pivotal movement of the second wing 26 about the cross shaft 11 is blocked normally by the first wing 12.

The second wing 26 is a resilient body, and it is formed so that its legs 28 and 29 diverge toward the open end of the wing when the material is unstressed. Then, when the wing 26 is assembled with respect to the cross bar 11 and the first wing 12, it is stressed to bring the legs 28 and 29 into parallelism, as shown. This stressing stores in the resilient wing 26 forces tending to spring the inner ends of its legs 23 and 29 outwardly, and these legs normally do move outwardly on the cross bar 11 as far as is permitted by the legs of the first 'wing 12. However, the legs 28 and 29 may be flexed inwardly by squeezing the release pins 36 and 37 toward each other.

A conventional handle 38 is connected to the base 'of the mop holder by universal joint means designated generally by the reference numeral 39 and illustrated best in FIGURES '3 and 4.

The universal joint means 39 includes a block member 40 at its lower end having an opening 41 receiving the 3 central portion of the cross bar 11 of the base. Weld means 42 serves to secure the member 40 rigidly in position on the bar 11. The member 40 is provided with another opening 43 for receiving a rivet 44, and its upper face 45 is curved about the axis of the opening 43.

The universal joint means 39 also includes a member 46 at its upper end having an upward projection 47 received Within :an axial bore 48 in the lower end of the handle 38 and secured in position by a rivet 4-9. A metal cap 50 may also be attached tothe lower end of the handle 38 by the rivet 49. The depending portion of the member 46 is provided with an opening 51 for receiving a rivet 52, and the lower face 53 thereof is curved about the axis of the opening 51.

A connector having a horizontal web portion 54, a pair of upstanding ears 55 and a pair of depending ears S6, is interposed between the members 40 and 46. The upstanding ears 55 are mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of the rivet 52, and the depending ears 56 are mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of the rivet 44. However, such pivoting movements are resisted by friction forces developed by spring brake Strips 57 and 58 hearing respectively against the curved faces 45 and 53 of the members 40' and 46.

The normal assembled relationship between the mop holder and the mop fabric is indicated in FIGURE 1. When the map fabric 6 becomes soiled, the user may hold the assembly above the floor or above a receiving container by means of the handle 38. At this time the first Wing 12 should be directed downwardly as indicated in FIGURE 5. The upstanding release pins 36 and 37 then may be squeezed toward each other to deflect the legs 28 and 29 of the resilient wing 26 inwardly. As the release pins are squeezed, the loops 62 and 33 move inwardly along the cross bar 11, :and the portions 80, 31 34 and 35 of the legs 28 and 29 move inwardly from their positions beneath the upwardly offset portions of the legs 14 and 15 of the first wing 12 to release the latching action. With the latching mechanism thus released, the wing 26 may swing downwardly about the axis of the cross bar 11 to the position shown in FIGURE 5. The mop fabric 6 then drops from the holder onto the door or into the receiving container without any need for the user to touch the soiled fabric.

A clean mop fabric 6 can then be placed on the floor with the pockets 9 and thereof exposed, and the rounded ends 13 and 27 of the wings 12 and 26 may be partially inserted into the pockets. Downward pressure on the handle 38 then will cause the wings 12 and 26 to 'move outwardly into the pockets 9 and 10*. As the Wing 26 swings about the axis of the cross bar 11, the outwardly inclined portions 34 and 35 of its legs come into contact with the upper surfaces of the legs 14 and of the first wing 12 and a camming action results. This camming action deflects the legs 28 and 29 inwardly far enough to permit them to snap back into their latched positions beneath the upwardly offset portions of the legs 14 and 15.

When the base of the holder is in its latched condition, major portions of the wings 12 and 26 lie in a common horizontal plane to cause the mop fabric 6 to effectively engage the floor. Any solid objects which may become lodged beneath the mop fabric 6 will in most instances find positions within the open framework of the wings 12 and 26 and will not unduly interfere with the mopping action.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7, It is generally similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 5 and all of its features need not be described here. A complete understanding of this embodiment may be gained by referring to the structural features that are not found in the embodiment already described in detail.

The rigid frame unit of the base of'the mop holder shown in FIGURE '6 is formed by a cross bar 59 and a 4 first wing 60 rigidly connected together through annular members 61 and 6-2. As shown in FIGURE 7, the annul ar member 61 is welded at 63 to the upper surface of a leg 64 of the wing 60, and a pin 65 is in a force-fit relation with aligned transverse openings in the annular member 61 and an end portion of the cross bar 59.

The interposition of the annular members 61 and 62 makes it necessary to alter somewhat the configuration of the inner ends of the legs of the Wing 66, but the latching action is substantially the same as in the embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 5. Note also that the extreme inner end 66 of each leg of the wing 69 is directed laterally inwardly rather than being bent back upon itself.

The mounting of the resilient second wing 67 for rotation and axial movement relative to the cross bar 59 also is different. As shown in FIGURE 7, the upper surfaces of the legs 68 of the wing 67 are welded at 69 to bearing members 70 rotatably and slidably mounted on the cross bar 59.

Although I have illustrated and described what I now consider to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various alterations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the broader scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Having thus defined my invention, I claim:

1. A collapsible holder for a pocketed mop comprising a rigid frame unit including a cross bar, a generally U-shaped, openwork, first wing having legs extending gen orally at right angles to said cross bar, and means rigidly fixing the end portions of said cross bar to said legs at positions near the inner ends of said legs, the inner end portions of said legs being disposed above the general plane of said first Wing and projecting laterally inwardly of the positions at which said legs are connected to said cross bar, the sides of said legs being otfset upwardly from the general plane of said first wing for a portion of their length spaced outwardly from said cross bar, said inner end portions and said upwardly offset portions of said legs lying substantially in a plane parallel to the general plane of said first wing; a handle; universal joint means fixed rigidly at one end portion thereof to a central portion of said cross bar and fixed at its opposite end portion to said handle; and a resilient, generally U-shaped, openwork, second wing having legs provided with means near the inner ends thereof for rotatably and slidably mounting said legs on said cross bar just inwardly of the legs of said first wing, said second wing being stressed so that the legs thereof tend to spring outwardly at the open inner end of the second Wing, the inner ends of said legs of the second wing extending beneath said inner end portions of the legs of the first wing and being inclined laterally outwardly beneath said upwardly offset portions of the legs of the first wing to latch said wings in substantially a common plane and then being directed laterally inwardly and upwardly to terminate in upstanding release pins which can be squeezed toward each other to release said latching action to permit said second wing to swing downwardly about the axis of said cross bar.

2. A collapsible holder for a pocketed mop comprising a rigid frame unit including a cross bar having cylindrical end portions, a generally U-shaped, openwork, first wing haying legs extending generally at right angles to said cross bar, a pair of axially aligned annular members fixed to the upper surfaces of said legs near the inner ends thereof and receiving the ends of said cross bar, and pin means passing through transverse openings in said annular members and said cylindrical portions of said cross bar to secure said annular members against movement relative to said cross bar, the inner end portions of said legs being disposed above the general plane of said first wing, the sides of said legs being offset upwardly from the general plane of said first wing for a portion of their length spaced outwardly from said cross bar, said inner end portions and said upwardly offset portions of said legs lying substantially in a plane parallel to the general plane of said first wing; a handle; universal joint means fixed rigidly at one end portion thereof to a central portion of said cross bar and fixed at its opposite end portion to said handle; and a resilient, generally U-shaped, openwork, second wing having legs provided with means near the inner ends thereof for rotatably and slidably mounting said legs on said cylindrical portions of said cross bar just inwardly of said annuli, said second wing being stressed so that the legs thereof tend to spring outwardly at the open inner end of the second wing, the inner ends of said le s of the second Wing extending beneath said inner end portions of the legs of the first Wing and being inclined laterally outwardly beneath said upwardly offset portions of the legs of the first wing to latch said wings in substantially a common plane and then being directed laterally inwardly and upwardly to terminate in upstanding release pins which can be squeezed toward each other to release said latching action to permit said second wing to swing downwardly about the axis of said cross bar.

3. A collapsible holder for a pocketed mop comprising: a rigid frame assembly including a cross member and a first wing rigidly secured thereto, said first wing comprising a generally U-shaped, openwork having legs extending generally at right angles to said cross member, and means rigidly fixing the end portions of said cross member to said legs at positions near the inner ends of said legs, the inner end portions of said legs being upwardly ofiset and disposed above the general plane of said first wing, said inner end portions of said legs lying substantially in a plane parallel to the general plane of said first wing; a handle; universal joint means fixed rigidly at one end portion thereof to a central portion of said cross member and fixed at its opposite end portion to said handle, said one portion of said universal joint rigidly fixed to said cross member comprising a portion of said joint which enables pivoting movement of said handle at a right angle to the lateral axis of said holder; and a resilient, generally U-shaped, openwork, second wing having legs provided with upwardly extending and integral loop portions near but spaced from the inner ends thereof, each said loop portion entirely encircling a portion of said assembly upon which it is mounted, said loop portions being rotatably and slidably mounted on said rigid frame assembly just inwardly of adjacent portions of the legs or" said first wing, portions of the inner ends of said legs of the second wing on opposite sides of said loop portions extending beneath said upwardly offset end portions of the legs of the first wing to latch said wings in substantially a common plane and then being directed laterally inwardly and upwardly to terminate in upstanding release pins which can be squeezed toward each other to release said latching action to permit said second wing to swing downwardly with respect to said rigid frame assembly about the axis on which said loop portions rotate, said second wing, when latched with said first wing, being self stressed so that the legs thereof tend to spring outwardly at the open inner end of the second wing.

4. A collapsible holder for a pocketed mop comprising a rigid frame unit including a cross bar having cylindrical end portions, 9. generally Ushaped, openwork, first Wing having legs extending generally at right angles to said cross bar, a portion of each of said legs near the end thereof being disposed in a single plane above and parallel to the general plane of said wing, and weld means securing said legs to the ends of said cross bar at points intermediate the ends of said portions of said legs; a handle; universal joint means fixed rigidly at one end portion thereof to a central portion of said cross bar and fixed at its opposite end portion to said handle; and a resilient, generally U-shaped, openwork, second wing having legs provided with loop portions near the inner ends thereof for rotatably and slidably mounting said legs on said cross bar just inwardly of said Weld means, said second wing being stressed so that the legs thereof tend to spring outwardly at the open inner end of the second wing, the inner ends of said legs of the second wing extending at the side of the cross bar facing the closed end of the second wing beneath said elevated portions of the legs of said first Wing and passing upwardly and laterally inwardly around said cylindrical end portions of said cross bar to form said loop portions and being inclined laterally outwardly on the opposite side of the cross bar beneath said elevated portions of the legs of the first wing a second time to latch said wings in substantially a common plane and then being directed laterally inwardly and upwardly to terminate in upstanding release pins which can be squeezed toward each other to release said latching action to permit said second wing to swing downwardly about the axis of said cross bar.

5. A collapsible holder for a pocketed mop comprising a rigid frame unit including a cross bar having cylindrical end portions, a generally U-shaped, openwork, first Wing having legs extending generally at right angles to said cross bar, and means rigidly fixing the end portions of said cross bar to said legs at positions near the inner ends of said legs, the inner end portions of said legs being disposed above the general plane of said first wing, the sides of said legs bein offset upwardly from the general plane of said first wing for a portion of their length spaced outwardly from said cross bar, said inner end portions and said upwardly offset portions of said legs lying substantially in a plane parallel to the general plane of said first wing; a handle; universal joint means fixed rigidly at one end portion thereof to a central portion of said cross bar and fixed at its opposite end portion to said handle, said joint means including an upper pivot axis parallel to said cross bar and a lower pivot axis at right angles to said cross bar and brake means for resisting movements about each of said axes; and a resilient, generally U-shaped, openwork, second wing having legs provided with upwardly extending loop portions near the inner ends thereof receiving said cylindrical end portions of said cross bar for rotatably and slidably mounting said legs on said cross bar just inwardly of the legs of said first wing, said second wing being stressed so that the legs thereof tend to spring outwardly at the open inner end of the second wing, the inner ends of said legs of the second wing extending beneath said inner end portions of the legs of the first wing and being inclined laterally outwardly beneath said upwardly ofiset portions of the legs of the first wing to latch said wings in substantially a common plane and then being directed laterally inwardly and upwardly to terminate in upstanding release pins which can be squeezed toward each other to release said latching action to permit said second Wing to swing downwardly about the axis of said cross bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,392,741 Bonsall Oct. 4, 1921 2,407,421 Herold Sept. 10, 1946 2,638,616 Fatland May 19, 1953 2,967,320 Short Jan. 10, 1961 2,975,451 McPherson Mar. 21, 1961 3,005,220 McPherson Oct. 24, 1961 

3. A COLLAPSIBLE HOLDER FOR A POCKETED MOP COMPRISING: A RIGID FRAME ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A CROSS MEMBER AND A FIRST WING RIGIDLY SECURED THERETO, SAID FIRST WING COMPRISING A GENERALLY U-SHAPED, OPENWORK HAVING LEGS EXTENDING GENERALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID CROSS MEMBER, AND MEANS RIGIDLY FIXING THE END PORTIONS OF SAID CROSS MEMBER TO SAID LEGS AT POSITIONS NEAR THE INNER ENDS OF SAID LEGS, THE INNER END PORTIONS OF SAID LEGS BEING UPWARDLY OFFSET AND DISPOSED ABOVE THE GENERAL PLANE OF SAID FIRST WING, SAID INNER END PORTIONS OF SAID LEGS LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE GENERAL PLANE OF SAID FIRST WING; A HANDLE; UNIVERSAL JOINT MEANS FIXED RIGIDLY AT ONE END PORTION THEREOF TO A CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID CROSS MEMBER AND FIXED AT ITS OPPOSITE END PORTION TO SAID HANDLE, SAID ONE PORTION OF SAID UNIVERSAL JOINT RIGIDLY FIXED TO SAID CROSS MEMBER COMPRISING A PORTION OF SAID JOINT WHICH ENABLES PIVOTING MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE LATERAL AXIS OF SAID HOLDER; AND A RESILIENT, GENERALLY U-SHAPED, OPENWORK, SECOND WING HAVING LEGS PROVIDED WITH UPWARDLY EXTENDING AND INTEGRAL LOOP PORTIONS NEAR BUT SPACED FROM THE INNER ENDS THEREOF, EACH SAID LOOP PORTION ENTIRELY ENCIRCLING A PORTION OF SAID ASSEMBLY UPON WHICH IT IS MOUNTED, SAID LOOP PORTIONS BEING ROTATABLY AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID RIGID FRAME ASSEMBLY JUST INWARDLY OF ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE LEGS OF SAID FIRST WING, PORTIONS OF THE INNER ENDS OF SAID LEGS OF THE SECOND WING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LOOP PORTIONS EXTENDING BENEATH SAID UPWARDLY OFFSET END PORTIONS OF THE LEGS OF THE FIRST WING TO LATCH SAID WINGS IN SUBSTANTIALLY A COMMON PLANE AND THEN BEING DIRECTED LATERALLY INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY TO TERMINATE IN UPSTANDING RELEASE PINS WHICH CAN BE SQUEEZED TOWARD EACH OTHER TO RELEASE SAID LATCHING ACTION TO PERMIT SAID SECOND WING TO SWING DOWNWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID RIGID FRAME ASSEMBLY ABOUT THE AXIS ON WHICH SAID LOOP PORTIONS ROTATE, SAID SECOND WING, WHEN LATCHED WITH SAID FIRST WING, BEING SELF STRESSED SO THAT THE LEGS THEREOF TEND TO SPRING OUTWARDLY AT THE OPEN INNER END OF THE SECOND WING. 